Marie Wise

From the time I could hold a crayon I knew I would be an artist. My mom was an artist, and my Dad was my biggest collector. My parents encouraged me to explore my individuality through art and to study it in every way possible. I started drawing at age six and continued through college, winning awards, earning scholarships, and doing commission work to support myself.

In college, I studied fine art, art education, journalism, psychology, and the humanities. I’m a graduate of Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. My technical art training has been mostly self-taught through books, private classes, mentoring, workshops, visiting art museums, copying the masters, and continually practicing.

My adult life has been spent in the small town of Kalama, where I raised my children. It’s a place where I never fail to find artistic inspiration. From the brick façade of the pizza parlor, to the twisted shapes of driftwood along the river, to the iconic Burger Bar sign, I’ve been painting this locale for over 40 years. My paintings hang in many homes.

Today I’m privileged to paint full time in my studio overlooking the Columbia River. With each painting I try to tell a story that will elicit from the viewer a special memory of place, time, or experience.